Health glider



Dec. 4, 1934. v E, v, TRAVER 1,982,843

HEALTH GLIDER Filed June 19, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR fdwagq 1/.77'arer E. V. TRAVER HEALTH GLIDER Dec. 4 1934.

Filed June 19, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IEEQKIF ATTO R N EY Patented Dec.4, 1934 PATENT OFFICE:

HEALTH GLIDER Edward V. Traver, New York, N. Y.-

Application June 19, 1934, Serial No. 731,292

7 Claims.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an exerciser in which onemay exercise with a ski stride, and which may also be used for rowingand general exercising.

5 The invention is a pair of blocks slidable in waxed'grooves havingmeans holding the feet upon the blocks and also having a seat adapted tobe placed upon the blocks, and a resiliently held strap by which one maydraw himself back 10 and forth while seated upon the seat on the 7373blocks.

Exercisers of different types have been provided, and some have usedblocks having a parallel movement, however, these blocks have beenprovided with rollers somewhat similar to roller LII. skates, whereasthe skiing stride requires a sliding movement, so that it is desired touse blocks, and preferably wood blocks in wood grooves, with the groovesthoroughly waxed so that a free sliding action may be obtained.

" The object of the invention is, therefore, to provide an exerciserwith devices for holding the feet in which the devices may be moved backand forth with a sliding movement to represent the ski stride.

Another object is to provide an exerciser having sliding blocks inparallel grooves with means by which one may support himself by thehands while exercising. V

A further object is to provide an exerciser 25:51 having sliding blocksin parallel grooves in which means may be placed upon the blocks tocause the blocks to move back and forth together in order to obtain arowing action.

And a further object is to provide an exerciser 331 having blocksslidable in parallel grooves in which resilient means is provided forexercising the upper part of the body with, or independent of, the skistride.

, And a still further object is to provide an exerciser developing a skistride which is simple and inexpensive.

With these ends in view the invention embodies a base having groovestherein with blocks having means holding the feet thereon slidable insaid grooves, a seat adapted to be placed on said box, foot rests at theends of said grooves, and a resiliently held handle extending from oneend of said base toward the center thereof.

i Other features and advantagesof the invention will appear from thefollowing'description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:Figure l is a view showing a simple form of the device in which thegrooves are formed of wood strips mounted upon metallic cross members.

Figure 2 is a detailshowing a section thru one end of one of thegrooves, showing a bumper adapted "to be placed in the ends of thegrooves. 00

Figure 3 is a detail also showing a section thru one end of one of thegrooves, in which a bumper is shown inthe end of the groove and a footrest is provided extending upward from the end of the device.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing an alternate design in which a bar onthe end of a strap is resiliently held so that it extends upward fromone end of the device.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section thru one 70 of the grooves showinganother alternate design in which a seat may be provided, legs of whichmay be placedin openings in the blocks to provide a rowing exerciser.

Figure 6 is a cross section thru the device showing another alternatedesign in which flanges are provided in the lower edges of the blocks tohold the blocks in recesses in the sides of the grooves. V

Figure "7 is a cross section thru one side of the device showing anotheralternate design in which the blocks areprovided with flanges at theirupper edges, which are slidable on the upper edges of the tracks.

Figure '8 is a detail showing an alternate design in which the slidersare slidable on beams forming tracks.

Figure 9 is a view showing the sliders shown in Figure 8. a

Figure 10 is a detail showing another alternate design in which thesliders are held on the tracks.

Figure 11 is a detail showing another alternate design in which thesliders are slidable on'a base and the base .is provided with beadsforming guides for the sliders.

In the drawings the device is shown as it may be made wherein numerals 1and 2 indicate the sliding blocks, numerals 3-and 4 the tracks in whichthe grooves are formed, and numeral 5'base members upon which thetrackmay be mounted.

The blocks 1 and 2 may be made of any material, or of any size or shape,and may be pro-' vided with any means on their upper surfaces forholding the feet. It is preferred to make these blocks of wood and usetoe'straps 6 at the forward ends, with straps 7 extending backwardtherefrom adapted to: be placed around the heels. These straps may beattached to or mounted upon the blocks in any manner, and it willbeunderstood that any other means may be used for holding the feet uponthe blocks. The straps shown in Figure 1 are similar to those used onskis, and these may be attached to the blocks in the same manner as skistraps. In this design the tracks 3 and 4 are made of wood beams withgrooves 8 and 9 formed therein and in this design these grooves arestraight and parallel with the blocks 1 and'2, free to slideb ack andforth therein. The surfaces of the grooves8 and 9 may be waxed ortreated in any manner to provide a sliding surface, or any means may beused for providing a sliding contact between the blocks and grooves. Thetracks 3 and 4 may also be of any other material, and this may be formedor shaped in any manner. In this design the tracks 3 and 4 are mountedupon channel shape base members 5, and these may be provided with feetor legs 10, which may be held in the members 5 by any means and whichmay be made of rubber or any material preferably having slightresiliency.

The device shown in Figure 1 is also provided with posts 11 having knobs12 at their upper ends forming handles, one of which may be gripped andheld by each hand in order to steady the body as the feet are beingmoved backward and forward on the blocks. These posts 11 are removablyheld in openings 13 in ends 14 of a cross bar 15, however, it will beunderstood that they may be held to the sides of the tracks in anymanner or by any means, and it will also be understood that they may beomitted, as shown in Figure 4. The device mayor may not be provided withthe cross bar 15, and the members 11 may be placed therein or removedtherefrom, as may be desired.

The exerciser shown in Figure 1 is of the most simple design, and thetracks are shown without bumpers in the ends in order toillustrate thatI181 01' by any means.

the device may be used in this manner, however, it will be understoodthat substantially all devices will be made with bumpers 16 in the endsof the grooves positioned to be engaged by the "'1 blocks 1 and 2 as theblocks are moved backward and forward. These bumpers may be of any typeor design, and may be mounted in the tracks in any manner. In the designshown in Figure 2 the blocks 17 are placed in the ends of the groovesand the bumpers 16 are mounted in recesses 18 in the faces of theblocks. The blocks 17 may, however, extend continuously across the endsof the device forming strips, as indicated by the numeral 19 and shownin Figure 4, and the bumpers 16 may be mounted in or on these strips.

' in Figure 1, or may be of any type or design, and

may be arranged in any manner. It will also be understood that themembers 20 may be made of any material and may be attached to, ormounted upon, the end of the device in any man- These members may alsobe provided in theform of blocks, as indicated by the numeral 3 andshown in Figure 5, and these blocks may be hinged to the ends of thedevice by hinges 24,'so that they may be folded to flat positions uponthe upper surfaces of the device to facilitate shipping, or when not inuse.

In the design shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the blocks are provided withopenings 25 in which legs 26 of a seat 27 may be placed with the blocksin corresponding positions in the grooves, and a person using the devicemay sit upon the seat with the feet upon the foot rests, so that theymay move the seat back and forth with the blocks sliding in the grooves.In this design the device may be, provided with a handle bar 28 on theend of a strap or web 29, which may extend over a roller 30 at one endof the device, and the opposite end of which may be connected to springssprings will draw the bar backward to the position shown. This bar maybe resiliently held in any other manner or by any means, and may belocated at either end or at anypoint on the device. With a personsitting upon the seat with the feet upon the foot rests and the bar 28gripped by the hands, the complete rowing action may be obtained bypulling upon the bar and releasing the same.

It will also be understood that the seat may be omitted and the deviceused by placing the feet upon the blocks and gripping the bar 28 in thehands, or the feet may be placed upon anypart of the device with the bar28 gripped by the hands. When using the device in this manner it may bedesired to raise the bar 28, and. therefore, a buckle 34 is shown in thestrap 29 in dotted lines in Figure 5, by which the length of the strapmay be adjusted so that the bar 28 may be raised to any desiredposition. This buckle, however, may be omitted in the design shown inFigure 51, and it will be understood that it may or may not be used, asmay be desired.

In the design shown in Figure 6 the lower edges of the blocks, which areindicated by the numeral 35, are provided with flanges 36, and thegrooves are provided with recesses 37 to accommodate the flanges, whichwill prevent the blocks being raised out of the grooves, and it will beunderstood that any means may be used for holding the blocks in thegrooves of the tracks. In thisdesign the device is shown as one completemember with a base 38 and with grooves 39 formed in projections 40extending upward from the base. It will, therefore, be understood thatthe device may be formed of one continuous board, or may be built upwith a pluralityof strips or may be made of metal formed or shaped inany manner, or may be made of a combination of wood and metal, as shownin Figure 1. a

In the design shown in Figure 7 the upper surfaces of the blocks areprovided with flanges 41, which extend over the surfaces 42 of themembers in which the grooves 43 are formed, and it will be noted thatthe lower ends of the blocks terminate short of the bottoms of thegrooves, so that the blocks, which are indicated by the numeral 44, willride upon the upper surfaces 42 thru the flanges 41. It will, therefore,be understood that the blocks may be mounted in or upon the grooves, orarranged in any manner to provide a free or sliding contact, so that afree sliding action may be obtained.

In thedesign shown in Figure 8 the device is formed with a base'45 andtracks 46"mounted upon the base which may be made integral therewith, asshown in Figure 9, in which the tracks are indicated by thev numeral4'7, or attached thereto, as shown in Figure 8. These tracks may be ofany type or design and may be made of any material. Sliders 48 aremounted upon the tracks and these may readily slide backward and forwardupon the tracks, which may be waxed or provided with any means tofacilitate sliding thereon. The sliders 48 may be provided with strapssimilar to the straps 6 shown in Figure 1, or any means may be used forholding thefeet thereon.

In the design shown in Figure 10, the tracks are provided with grooves50 into which projections 51 of sliders 52 may extend, as shown, to holdthe sliders upon the tracks. It will be understood that any means may beused for holding the sliders downward upon'the tracks orrails, and theholding means may be made integral with the sliders or rails, orattached thereto.

In the design shown in Figure 1 1, sliders 53 bear directly upon a base54, and these may be held in position by guides 55, so that they willmove backward and forward in straight lines. The guides 55 may. beattached to the base in any manner, and the guides and slide-rs may beof any shape or design.

It will be understood that other changes may be made in the constructionwithout departing from the spirit of the invention. One of which changesmay be in the proportionate sizes of the device, as it will beunderstood that the tracks may be longer or shorter, or may becomparatively narrow, or of a greater width to accommodate comparativelythin or stout people, another change may be in the use of other meansfor obtaining a sliding contact between the feet and tracks, another maybe in the use of other means for supporting or holding the personexercising upon the device, and still another may be in the use of thedevice for other exercises than those shown and described.

The construction may be readily understood from the foregoingdescription. In use the device may be provided as shown and described,and it will be noted that by placing the feet upon the blocks and movingthe feet backward and forward similar to the stride used in skiing, itwill develop the muscles in the legs the same as skiing, and alsoassistin developing the ski stride, which will facilitate learning to ski.

In addition to the ski stride, the blocks may be used substantially thesame as walking or running, and by using the seat or any means forholding the blocks together, rowing or other exercises may be performedupon the device. The device may also be used in combination with othersimilar devices and may be made comparatively long, so that any numberof persons may use one track, as in a class, or any number of thedevices may be used side by side, or in combination, or attached to thesame base.

The essential feature of this device is the sliding action, as woodblocks sliding in wood grooves provide a unique movement that may bedescribed as the ski stride, and these blocks are, therefore, madewithout rollers or wheels, and also without any mechanical devicesconnected to or made integral with the sliders. This sliding action iscomparatively new in a device of this nature and is particularlybeneficial for reducmovement of said members being resisted solely byfrictional contact of same in the guides.

2. An exercising means comprising a pair of guides disposed in spacedparallel relation to each other, means for holding said guides in spacedapart relation, and foot supporting members slidable in said guidesindependent of each other, movement of said members being resistedsolely by frictional contact of same in the guides.

3. An exercising means comprising a supporting means, parallel guidescarried by the supporting means, foot supporting members slidable insaid guides independent of each other, movement of said members beingresisted solely by frictional contact of same in the guides, and stopsfor limiting the movement of the members.

4. An exercising means comprising a supporting means, parallel guidescarried by the supporting means, foot supporting members slidable 1% insaid guides independent of each other, movement of said members beingresisted solely by frictional contact of same in the guides, and meanscarried by each member for releasably fastening a foot thereto.

5. An exercising means comprising a supporting means, parallel guidescarried by the supporting means, and foot supporting members slidable insaid guides independent of each other, movement of said members beingresisted solely by frictional contact of same with the guides, saidguides comprising a pair of elongated U- shaped channels open at thetop.

6. An exercising means comprising a supporting means, parallel guidescarried by the supporting means, and foot supporting members slidable insaid guides independent of each other, movement of said members beingresisted solely by frictional contact of same with the guides, saidguides comprising a pair of elongated bars and said members having achannel to engage about said bars for holding said members againstlateral movement while permitting longitudinal movement under frictionalresistance of said members with said guides. I

7. An exercising means comprising a supporting means, parallel guidescarried by the supporting means, and foot supporting members slidable insaid guides independent of each other, movement of said members beingresisted solely 135 by frictional contact of same with the guides, saidguides comprising a pair of elongated bars provided on opposite sidesthereof with longitudinal grooves, and said members including channelledbodies having opposed longitudinal 140 ribs engageable in saidlongitudinal grooves.

EDWARD V. TRAVER.

